Hard work pays off as UConn awards diplomas

Lisa Capialbi of Stamford, left, and Brooke Doyon of Litchfield share an umbrella during the entrance procession Sunday for the Neag School of Education commencement ceremony at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Published May 13. 2013 12:01AM | Updated May 13. 2013 12:16AM

Storrs -In 12 separate commencement events, approximately 7,000 students were awarded undergraduate or graduate diplomas at the University of Connecticut's graduation ceremonies this weekend.

The ceremonies for the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine will be held today, while the School of Law's commencement ceremony is Sunday.

Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO of the General Electric Corp., gave the commencement speech at Saturday's ceremony for students receiving graduate degrees. He was also the recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters

The Schools of Engineering, Pharmacy, General Studies, and Fine Arts also held their commencement ceremonies on Saturday. The executive director and CEO for the Society of Women Engineers, Elizabeth Shananan, spoke to the engineering students and received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the school. Actor and director Jerry Adler addressed the School of Fine Arts and received an honorary doctorate degree from that school. The schools of pharmacy and general students were addressed by UConn graduates Kerry Blanchard (pharmacy), Robert Bepko (pharmacy) and Lauren DiGrazia (general studies).

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Ratcilffe Hicks School of Agriculture held their commencement on Saturday evening. The commencement speaker at that event was Charles Zwick, a 1950 graduate of CANR. Zwick, an honorary degree recipient, was the director of the Federal Office of Management and Budget under President Lyndon Johnson and has supported the university's research efforts in the area of food and resource policy.

Although the School of Social Work's students participated in the graduate ceremony, the school held a separate recognition ceremony on Saturday morning at which it awarded honorary degrees. Gary Bailey, a leader in the field of social work, spoke and received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. The school also presented that degree to Lyudmila Harutyunyan, who is referred to as the "mother of Armenian social work" in a university press release.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, with about 2,500 graduates, is so large that its ceremony was split into two events, both held on Sunday. The speaker at the first ceremony was Dr. Frank Torti, dean of the School of Medicine. Graduates at the second event were addressed by Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill, a 1988 graduate of the university.

The Schools of Business, Nursing and Education also held ceremonies Sunday. The School of Business commencement speaker was UConn alum Daniel Toscano, now managing director and head of Global Leveraged and Acquisition Finance at Morgan Stanley. Barbara Jacobs, director of Clinical Ethics Consultation Service at Hartford Hospital, addressed the school of nursing graduates. Graduates of the Neag School of Education were addressed by award-winning author Wally Lamb, a 1977 graduate of that school, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letter degree Sunday.

Dr. Ferid Murad, who received the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, will address the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine today and receive an honorary Doctorate of Science.

Neal Kumar Katyal, who recently argued several Supreme Court cases as acting solicitor general of the United States, will address the School of Law on Sunday.

Author Wally Lamb is hooded by Sally Reis, left, interim vice provost for academic administration, as his honorary degree is conferred Sunday by UConn President Susan Herbst, right, during the Neag School of Education commencement ceremony held at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts.